The Bride's Portion. Susan Paul

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СКАЧАТЬ the children seemed thoroughly frightened, if not of Edyth, certainly of Lillis.

      “You’re a witch!” accused a small, trembling voice.

      “My goodness!” Lillis declared with surprise. “Whatever makes you say such a thing?”

      “You look like a witch” came the reply. This time the voice belonged to a boy.

      “Do I? How is it that I look like a witch? I’ve never seen one before, so you must tell me.”

      “You are all white. And you are a giant.”

      “Oh, I see,” Lillis said, repressing the urge to laugh. “Well, I suppose I am all white, as you say, but I assure you that I was born this way and that being such doesn’t make me a witch. As to being a giant, why, I’m not nearly as tall as the Lord of Gyer, am I?”

      “No,” said both voices.

      “And is he a giant?”

      “No.”

      “Then, if I am not as tall as he, and he is not a giant, I am not a giant. Does that not make sense?”

      They were quiet, clearly thinking this through. Finally the boy spoke again. “Barbara said you are a witch. She said that you turn children into mice and drown them in wells. She said you can put a house to fire by pointing your finger at it.”

      “Barbara said you cast spells on people that makes them howl like dogs,” the little girl added enthusiastically, “and that they grow hair all over their bodies and can never be the same again.”

      “Oh, my!” Edyth put one hand over her heart in distress. “What dreadful things to tell children!”

      Lillis finally gave way to an amused chuckle. “So the lady Barbara told you I am a witch, did she? Well, she is quite wrong. I can do none of those things and I most assuredly am not a witch. Come now, I promise I shall not harm you.”

      The children did come, but warily. The closest child was a beautiful little girl, seven or eight years of age, with golden auburn curls atop her head and large hazel eyes full of curious expression. The other, a boy a couple of years older, was surprisingly lanky and thin. He had brown hair and deep brown eyes, and the most serious expression Lillis had ever seen on a child.

      “What lovely children!” Edyth exclaimed, putting out a gentle hand to draw them closer. They willingly moved to the older woman but kept their distance from Lillis, whom they stared at with open distrust.

      “What are your names, my dears?” Edyth asked them.

      “Candis,” whispered the little girl, never taking her eyes from Lillis.

      “I am Justin,” the boy said.

      “It is a pleasure to meet you, Candis and Justin.” Lillis nodded to them formally. “Do you belong to someone in the castle?”

      They looked at her with confusion.

      “How is it that you are here in the castle?” she clarified.

      “We live here. Alex is our brother,” Justin replied.

      “Oh,” Lillis said with disappointment. She had assumed that they belonged to the cook or one of the servants, and had been happy with the prospect of having children close by to spend time with. She sincerely doubted, however, that Alexander of Gyer or his family would appreciate her and Edyth even speaking to Candis and Justin. She looked to see whether the women across the room had any reaction to the children being with them and was relieved to find that Aunt Leta and the others had their heads bent in conversation.

      “Why are you not doing your lessons now, children?” she asked. “It is not yet time for the midday meal, is it? Do you not have a tutor?”

      The boy shrugged. “We do what we want. We did have a tutor last week, but Hugh and Hugo put a snake in his bed and he left. Alex hasn’t found a new one yet, but it won’t matter when he does. Hugh and Hugo always get rid of them in a few days.”

      “Once they put salt in the tutor’s wineglass!” Candis said with a giggle. “It was so funny to see him try to drink it without choking! He was too afraid to tell Alex that the wine was bad!”

      “How horrid!” Lillis said, surprised at the anger in her voice. “Are your brothers not punished after they do such things?”

      “Ye-e-es,” Justin replied haltingly, sounding somewhat uncertain.

      Amazed, Lillis shook her head. “That’s too bad for the both of you, is it not? You are deprived of an education because of your brothers’ behavior. Where are your nurses? Who looks after you during the day?”

      “We only have one nurse,” Justin supplied. “Her name is Molly and she sleeps a lot.”

      Candis giggled again. “She keeps wine hidden in her room and drinks it during the day. We wait until she’s snoring and then we sneak out. But it was hard to wait today, because we wanted to see the witch.”

      “Well,” Lillis said with some disgust, “I’ve already told you that I’m not a witch. As to your nurse—” She was so angry she couldn’t continue.

      “Does the lord of the castle not care that your nurse is so sleepy all the time?” Edyth asked.

      “He’s very busy,” Justin replied, as though that should explain.

      “I see,” Edyth said feebly, and exchanged wondering glances with Lillis.

      “What of your Aunt Leta?” Lillis asked. “She manages the household for your brother. Does she not care about your lack of supervision?”

      The children cast glances at each other, then looked at Lillis.

      “Aunt Leta doesn’t mind us as long as we’re quiet. And Barbara says it would be mean to make us do what we don’t want to, because we don’t have parents.”

      “Oh, my!” Edyth cried, unable to contain herself any longer. “What kind of place is this? Even the children in the orphanage had better care!”

      “It’s none of our concern, Edyth,” Lillis warned. “We’ll not be here long enough to make any difference in the lives of these children, so just get those thoughts right out of your head.”

      Edyth looked at her very pleadingly. “But, my dear, they’re just babies—”

      “It would be unwise for us to become involved with these two,” Lillis said firmly, then looked at Candis and Justin. “Although I suppose it would be all right to see if they like to play games. Do you?”

      “What kind of games?” Candis asked, wide-eyed.

      “Why, all kinds. Edyth and I know almost any game you’d care to name. And stories, too. I know a wonderful story I can tell you this very minute, if you wish it.”

      They did wish it, and both came closer. Edyth set one child on each knee and Lillis began her tale.

      “The knight took up his lance,” СКАЧАТЬ